Foot and Ankle

Our physicians utilize the most current methods of diagnosis and treatments available for both common ailments and more serious injuries, focusing on the latest braces, orthotics, and medications prior to surgical intervention.

Before making any treatment recommendation, your foot and ankle specialist will carefully consider your age and activity level as well as the severity of your condition. If surgery is the most effective treatment option, we utilize minimally invasive techniques to minimize the strain on your body as well as your recovery time.

You can rest assured that our doctors offer the highest level of training and experience and provide exceptional care in treating any condition of the foot or ankle, from removing bunions to setting broken bones to complex reconstructions.

In order to make your treatment as comfortable and convenient as possible, we provide all the services you need to treat your condition in one location: digital x-rays and images through our Midwest Imaging at OCI and physical therapy through Midwest Rehab at OCI.

Common procedures performed at OCI:

Arthritis & deformity of ankle

Painful feet

Forefoot and hindfoot deformities

Sports injuries (sprains and fractures)

and fractures)

Traumas

Trigger fingers

Ankle arthroscopy: Arthroscopic surgery is the least invasive form of surgery and is normally performed as an outpatient procedure. Arthroscopic surgery utilizes a small camera (an arthroscope) inserted through a tiny incision into the affected area in your ankle that sends visuals to a monitor. The surgeon, guided by the images on the screen, uses very thin surgical instruments to make any necessary repairs. Unlike standard, open surgery, the tiny incision left by arthroscopic surgery often leaves no scar.

Arthroscopic ankle fusion: Minimally invasive fusion surgery takes the two bones that form the ankle joint in the foot and fuse them together to form a single bone. Cartilage between the bones is removed and the bones are held together with screws or a combination of screws and plates so the bones don’t move. The body slowly grows new bone between the connected bones. When healed, pain will be reduced, but motion will be limited. The joints near the ankle will take over in providing an up and down motion.

Ankle replacement: An ankle replacement is done to help a patient maintain mobility in the ankle joint. It is most often done for someone who has severe problems with other joints around the ankle or has had a fusion surgery on the other leg or within the same foot. The newest generation of ankle replacement implants are showing great promise but haven’t been used long enough to establish how long they will last.

Flatfoot correction: The most common treatment for flatfoot is an orthotic—a shoe insert that can be purchased at a sporting goods store or custom-molded for a perfect fit. Orthotics will support the foot and help reduce the risk of tendonitis. A doctor will recommend the right type of orthotic depending on your specific symptoms and the underlying cause of those symptoms.

Fracture repair of ankles and feet: Most broken bones are fixed in position and braced until they are strong enough to bear weight. Casts and splints are traditionally used to support fractures. Because we can now perform minimally invasive surgery with improved materials that are not only strong and flexible enough to support bones but also compatible with the body so they cause no allergic reactions, we may recommend using fixations such as wires, plates, pins, rods or screws inside the body to repair fractures.